(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the land vehicles and more particularly to a louvered headache rack to be mounted behind the rear window of a pickup truck.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Pickup trucks (or pickups) often have headache racks attached to the front of the bed. These headache racks are usually tubular members which protect the cab from any shifting cargo within the bed. Also in the event of an accident with the pickup rolling over, they prevent the top from being crushed. Elongated cargo such as ladders may be stacked from the back of the bed over the headache rack. In some instances headache racks perform primarily an ornamental function.
In the construction of a truck and including a pickup, there is usually a frame which is supported by four wheels. The frame is flexible. Therefore, if there is more or less load in the bed, the relationship of the bed to the cab will change. Also, as the vehicle travels over uneven road surfaces there will be movement between the bed and the cab. Usually the bed and the cab are separated so that bed is a unit separate from the cab. Applicant is aware that some pickups have a single unit of cab and bed.
In addition, pickups cabs have a rear window. The occupants are normally located adjacent to the rear window. Therefore, in sunny climates there is a problem of heat radiation through the rear window upon the occupants of the cab. For this reason, workers in the prior art have suggested placing louvers over the rear window. An example of such a louver is shown in BUTLER'S U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,643. This patent discloses a louver attached to the cab of the pickup. The louver are rigid and not adjustable.
Before this application was filed, applicant was also aware of LOCKSHIN'S U.S. Pat. 4,232,483 of a louver for a hatch-back type automobile. This patent discloses louvers which are hinged so that the entire unit can be raised. The fixed or rigid louvers are not adjustable but always in one position the same as BUTLER.
Although no patent was found showing such a structure, applicant was aware before his invention, of headache racks commercially on the market which had louvers rigidly fixed in a single position. The headache rack was attached to the bed of a pickup truck. The rigid or fixed louvers were behind the rear window of the cab.